Hydraulic clutch



Patented ct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 107,180, October 23,

1936. This application January 14, 1939, Serial No. 251,043

4 Claims.

This application is a substitute for application Serial Number 107,180filed October 23, 1936.

My invention relates to a hydraulic clutch for the transmission ofrotary motion and power 5 from one rotary member to another, forinstance,

from the crank shaft of an engine to the driving shaft of a motorvehicle, and the principal object of my invention is to provide arelatively simple, inexpensive and effective clutch of the type whereina circular rotor is eccentrically mounted for operation within acircular chamber, the latter being formed in a housing that functions asa fly-wheel, and the rotor carrying a pair of connected plates that arearranged to slide diametrically through the rotor.

Further objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon andsimplify the construction of the existing forms of hydraulic clutches;further, to provide a clutch that is devoid of all latter elements inservice develop trouble due'to overheating; and, further, to providesimple and eflicient means for moving the plates carried by the rotorinwardly or outwardly so as to very Aaccurately regulate and control thespeed that is transmitted from the driving shaft to the driven shaft.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features 301fof construction and arrangement of parts thatwill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed `andl illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a Vertical section taken through the 'center of a hydraulicclutch constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a yoke that is utilized as a connectionbetween the sliding plates carried by the rotor and for simultaneouslymov- 1ing said plates toward or away from each other.

` Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my invention, I designates a driving shaft, forinstance, the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine, and suitablysecured thereto is a circular housing II which, in operation, performsthe function of a fly-wheel for the driving shaft. The housing II may beformed in two or more parts to facilitate assembly.

The chamber I2 that is formed in housing Il,

friction bands, drums and the like, and which is eccentrically arrangedwith respect to the axis of said housing, and which axis is coincidentwith the axis of the driving shaft I0 and eccentrically arranged withinchamber I2 is a circular rotor i3, the axis of which is coincident withthe axis of housing II and driving shaft I0. Thus a substantiallycrescent-shaped chamber is formed between the periphery of the rotor I3and the inner face of the wall of housing I I that surrounds the chamberI2. The side of rotor I3 opposite the side that is positioned adjacentthe end of the driving shaft I0, is rigidly connectedin any suitablemanner to a driven shaft I4.

Formed in the central portion of the rotor I3 is aA substantiallyrectangular chamber I5 within which is arranged for transverse slidingmovement a frame or yoke comprising a pair of spaced plates I6 in whichare formed corresponding longitudinally disposed slots II. These platesI6 are connected on one side by a centrally arranged cross plate I8 andconnected to the center of said cross plate is a `rod I9 that extendsthrough the side of the rotor and axially through a bore 20 that isformed in the driven shaft I4.

The outer end of this rod I9 is connected to a cross rod 2| that isarranged for sliding move-V ment in a slot 22 that is formed in thedriven shaft I4. The ends of cross rod 2I carry rollers 23'that arepositioned in a channel-shaped yoke or ring 24, and which latter may bemoved lengthwise of the driven shaft I4 by suitable manually orpedally-actuated means.

The rotor I3 is provided Von its sides with large trunnions 25 that aremounted for rotation in Y suitable bearings 26 formed on the sides ofthe housing II.

Formed through the body of the rotor between the trunnions 25 arediametrically disposed slots 2l, the inner ends of which communicatewith the ends of the chamber I5, and arranged for sliding movementthrough these slots are plates or vanes 28, the outer ends of which areadapted to engage the inner circular fame of chamber I2.

Pivotally connected to the plates 28 adjacent their inner edges, are theouter ends of pairs of links 29, and the inner ends of the members ofeach pair of links overlap each other, and pass- Y ing through saidoverlapping ends is a pin 30, the ends of which are arranged for slidingmovement in the slots I'I in the posts I6.

The construction just described provides means for simultaneously movingthe plates or vanes 28 toward or from each other, and the slotsll in theplates I6 permit the plates 28 connected by the links 29 to movediametrically through the rotor as the latter rotates in the eccentricchamber I2.

Seated in the circular Wall of the housing I I at the point where theperiphery of the rotor I3 contacts with the circular face of chamber I2is a transversely disposed packing member 3| that is yieldingly forcedinto contact with the periphery of the rotor by expansion springs 32,the latter being seated in pockets behind the packing member, and theouter ends of which pockets are closed by screw plug 33.

The eccentric chamber I2 within the housing II is filled with a heavyliquid, for instance oil, glycerine or the like, and as the enginedriven shaft I0 is rotated, housing I I will be correspondingly rotated,and to transmit this motion to shaft I4, yoke or ring 24 is movedinwardly toward the clutch, thereby moving rod I9 through bore 20 .andthe yoke comprising the parts I6 and I8 will be moved from a positionadjacent the side of the rotor toward the center thereof. As a result ofthis movement and the engagement of the ends of the pin 30 in the slotsI'I of the yoke, the ends of the links 29 that are pivotally connectedto the plates 28 Will be spread apart, thereby moving said platesoutwardly so that their outer ends approach the circular inner face ofchamber I2.

As the outer ends of the plates 28 approach the circular face of chamberI 2 the pressure of the projecting ends of the plates against the heavyliquid in chamber I2 will act to pick up and impart movement to therotor I3 and as the plates continue to move outwardly the speed of thetransmitted rotary motion Will be correspondingly increased.

When the outer ends of the plates 28 engage the circular inner face ofchamber I2, it will be impossible for the liquid to flow past the outerends of the plates, with the result that the rotor I3 will rotate at thesame speed as the engine driven shaft I 0 and the housing that isconnected thereto and which encloses the rotor.

Obviously, by moving the yoke or ring 24 to- Ward or away from theclutch housing and correspondingly shifting the positions of the plates28, the speed transmitted from the driven shaft to the rotor I3 andshaft I4 may be very accurately regulated, and such transmission ofspeed is effected Without the use of drums, bands, gears, frictionplates and the like.

When the plates 28 have been shifted to their outer limits of movement,so that their outer ends engage the inner circular face of chamber I2,said plates and the links connecting the same must necessarily movediametrically through the rotor, due to the eccentric position of therotor Within chamber I2, and such movement is permitted by reason of thefact that the ends of the pin 3D that connect the overlapping ends oflinks 29 are free to move lengthwise through the slots I'I of the platesI6.

During operation, and while the plates 28 are moving so that their outerends project beyond the periphery of rotor I3, pressure is produced inthe liquid on one side of the projecting portion of each plate, andsuction is produced on the liquid on the other side of the projectingportion of each plate, and this suction and pressure is effective intransmitting rotary motion and power from the driving shaft and thehousing to the rotor I3 and driven shaft I4.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a hydraulic clutch that isrelatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture andcomposed of but few parts, and Which clutch is very eifective inperforming the functions for which it is intended.

It Will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved hydraulic clutch may bemade and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a hydraulic clutch, a housing provided with an eccentricallyarranged circular chamber, a rotor arranged for operation within saidchamber, the axis of which rotor is coincident with the axis of thehousing, a pair of plates arranged to slide diametrically through saidrotor, links connecting the inner portions of said plates, and a yokeoperable fromv the exterior of the housing for imparting movement tosaid links and moving said plates tov/ard or away from each other.

2. In a hydraulic clutch, a housing provided with an eccentricallyarranged circular chamber, a rotor arranged for operation within saidchamber, the axis of which rotor is coincident with the axis of thehousing, a pair of plates arranged to slide diametrically through saidrotor, links connecting the inner portions of said plates, a yokeoperable from the exterior of the housing for imparting movement to saidlinks and moving said plates toward or away from each other, and thesaid links having sliding engagement with said yoke.

3. In a hydraulic clutch, a housing provided with an eccentricallyarranged circular chamber, a rotor arranged for operation within saidchamber, the axis of which rotor is coincident with the axis of thehousing, a pair of plates arranged to slide diametrically through saidrotor, links connecting the inner portions of said plates, a yokeoperable from the exterior of the housing for imparting movement to saidlinks and moving said plates toward or away from each other, a drivingshaft connected to one side of said housing, and a driven shaftconnected to said rotor.

4. The combination with a driving shaft, of a housing connected to saidshaft, said housing having an eccentrically arranged chamber, a rotorarranged for operation within said chamber, a shaft connected to saidrotor, the axes of the two shafts and the rotor being coincident, a pairof plates arranged to slide diametrically through said rotor, linksconnecting said plates, means operable from the exterior of the housingfor imparting swinging movement to said links to move said plates towardor away from each other, and a yoke arranged for sliding movement withinsaid rotor and having sliding movement with said links.

CHESTERl R. SHARAR.

